More MPG with Shell???

Cool. Too bad we can't just buy "generic" gas and add our own additives.

I guess this is called "product differentiation" and the ads are all about the additives, tiger in your tank or not.

 

my son always said shell gas was better ( he's a drifter )

was getting great mileage on first tank from dealer 48-49

then went to 44 on third tank . with increased psi and hypermiling. thought about what one poster said about bad gas.

just filled up with shell and am at 49.8 for 70 miles . i will post the tank mileage in a week or so. hope it stays in the 49 range . thought maybe the new mudflaps and removing trim rings was the problem. i might put it back to stock and see what happens after this tank.

could have been the unusually hotter weather this week in thw 100's AC running more often.

only 1300 total miles so can't wait for the 5000 mile breakin to see if it goes up.

 

My current tank is my first Shell tank. I see no measurable difference in FE.

 

"Shell" alone is not enough information. For example, is it a 10% ethanol blend? I live in Huntsville AL where we don't have ethanol gas and there is a measurable difference in brands; Shell, Exxon and Chevron have higher energy content; Conoco, Citgo, Texaco, and BP are lower. Also, I have one tank of Costco, unknown brand, gas that looks a lot like the Shell data.

It is not fair to say Shell is higher energy in all markets because ethanol throws some degree of 'randomness' into what is pumped. However, it is possible to measure the amount of ethanol and then measure the amount of energy in the straight gas. Difficult, it is still possible.

Also, the gasoline available from the east coast, gulf coast, west coast and central refineries will have different feed stock. So it really comes down to doing controlled tests with the local brands. One tank will never be enough.

If you are interested in measuring the relative amount of energy, you need a 'hill' for a 'hill climb test.' We can go over the protocol if you are interested but we need the results published here.

Bob Wilson

 

i actually got 5 mpg less this tank on shell gas....weird


i think it may have been a more ethanol potent mix than where i normally fill up. i fill up @ costco or exxon, which around here i think is the same stuff.

 

This is wierd. Just yesterday I told my wife that I could get 2-3 MPG more with Shell gas than others. I thought (and she said) that I must be imagining it. Now this thread. Very interesting. I drive the same route almost every week. With similar environmental conditions, I DO get better mileage. It is not a scientific study, mind you, but it has convinced me.

RJG

 

Great MPG is the goal of most of us but I buy primarily from Conoco as they don't buy Middle East oil. Shell does.

Refer to Snopes at:
snopes.com: Saudi Gas Boycott

 

Er, you did read the Snopes article, didn't you? Conoco-Phillips actually imports more Middle East oil than Shell.

Furthermore, the retail arms may not actually sell gas refined by the brand name. The brand mainly determines the additive package, not the base gasoline. If you have a Chevron franchise but the tank farm near you has oil refined by Citgo, you'll buy that and put Techron in it.

 

I try and buy from Conoco as they do not import oil from the Middle East. Just my small statement against the Saudi tycoons...

 

Crude Oil Imports From Persian Gulf 2007

Code:

Company 	        Total 	  Persian Gulf	% Persian Gulf
CONOCOPHILLIPS CO 	452,340 	22,992 	5%
SHELL OIL CO DEER PARK 	107,825 	0 	0%
SHELL US TRADING CO 	52,184 	        1,897 	4%

 

If you're a comfort hound as I am, you'll set the A/C for COMFORT and let the mpg's fall where they may. This is not to say that I don't care. On the fuel economy forum, I posted some observations yesterday (See "Eight 250 trips this summer"). I'm convinced that the temperature has as much effect as anything on mpg's. On these "Eight trips..." it became pretty evident that when I was driving mid-day, and the temps were mid 90's, my mpg's were about 10% lower than my evening miles, and the temps were in the low 80's. You have to get way scientific to isolate a single contributing factor. But legislation requiring monitoring systems on all new cars (i.e. MFD type device), I think would go far in saving the nation's resources. (How'd I get off on that!?!) In saving gas, as in many of the issues of life, education is the key. The WILL of driving Americans must be changed. (I found the above mentioned legislation suggestion on drive55.org.) The very name of that organization is a great way for ANYONE to use less gas. & save lives too